Madagascar Discovery
15-day tour taking in the island’s diverse wildlife and culture, finishing on the beach
Just off Africa’s east coast lies Madagascar, a land of arid desert, tropical rainforest and mist-shrouded mountains - best known for its peculiar wildlife, most of which cannot be found anywhere else on earth.
The suggested tailor-made itinerary shown below provides a great, in-depth introduction to the island, and you can even extend your stay with a little relaxation beachside afterward at Nosy Be.
Madagascar is still emerging as a tourism destination and, while its popularity rose with the BBC series narrated by Sir David Attenborough in February 2011, the standards of the hotels are not the same as those you may be used to in South Africa, for example. Rest assured though, that we have selected the best below.
1 night Antananarivo • 2 nights Andasibe • 1 night Antsirabe • 2 nights Ranomafana • 2 nights Ranohira • 2 nights Ifaty • 1 night Antananarivo • 3 nights Nosy Be
Day 1: Antananarivo
Arrive in Madagascar’s capital city for your first night.
Stay: Colbert Hotel (B)
Days 2-3: Andasibe
Head east to Andasibe for a day of lemur-spotting, initially at Marozevo and then at Vakona island, where you can see the mouse lemur, hairy-eared dwarf lemur, and eastern woolly lemur, as well as reptiles and batrachians.
The following day explore Andasibe Mantadia National Park to find more lemurs, including the largest living example, the Indri Indri. You’ll also enjoy the chance to spot some of the island’s endemic birds, such as the blue coua and Madagascar buzzard.
Stay: Andasibe Hotel (BD)
Day 4: Antsirabe
Return west to Antananarivo then turn south to Antsirabe passing through Madagascar’s highlands. The industrial and agricultural centre is well-known for its precious stones.
Stay: Couleur Café (BD)
Day 5-6: Ranomafana
After a tour of Antsirabe and Ambositra - the capital of Malagasy handicrafts - head to the south-east of the island to Ranomafana National Park where you will spend the following day exploring the forests, home to numerous lemur species and abundant birdlife.
Stay: Setam Lodge (BD)
Days 7-8: Ranohira
On the drive to Ranohira you’ll make a quick visit to a hand-made-paper factory and pass through the wide Harombe grasslands. The landscape then changes, to become dominated by granite outcrops. Spend the following morning exploring Isalo National Park and discovering its many unusual endemic plants, and take a swim at the Piscine Naturelle. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure.
Stay: Isalo Rock Lodge (BD)
Days 9-10: Ifaty
On the drive to Ifaty, the landscape changes from savannah to bushland, and you’ll go through a number of villages populated by sapphire miners and pass by some well-adorned tombs commemorating southern tribes. The following day head to Reniala spiny forest for bird watching.
Stay: Dunes Hotel (BD)
Day 11: Antananarivo
Fly from Tulear to Antananarivo and make an afternoon visit to the Ambohimanga Royal Palace to learn about the Malagasy kingdom. The following day you will either return home or begin your extension beach stay.
Stay: Colbert Hotel (BD)
Days 12-14: Extension - Nosy Be
Take a morning flight to Nosy Be, known as the ‘Perfumed Island’ due to its plentiful ylang ylang and cinnamon and sugar cane plantations. Previously volcanic, the island is strewn with mountains and old craters, where lakes have now formed. Small islets nearby make for a fun visit for fishing, snorkelling or diving, while inland the tropical forest at Lokobe has plenty of interesting flora to discover. Relax at the 5 star Constance Tsarabanjina Hotel for 3 nights after your adventure.
Stay: Tsarabanjina Hotel (BD)
Days 15 : Antananarivo
Fly to Antananarivo and transfer to the Relais des Plateaux Hotel where you have use of a room through the day, before returning to the airport for a late evening flight home.
Madagascar Discovery itinerary map
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Pricing information
15-day tailor-made itinerary
Prices from: £2,998 to £4,133 pp
Valid for travel: Until 9 December 2012
Package includes: International flights, guided tours, 14 nights accommodation with meals as indicated.
B = breakfast • D = dinner
Terms & Conditions: Prices are per person based on two people sharing a twin/double room; prices are subject to availability and possible change; normal booking conditions apply.
To book, call 0845 643 6562
To book this travel offer, call one of our tailor-made travel experts now, quoting reference WEX102144.
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